Follow the Indianapolis Cultural Trail

The newly finished Indianapolis Cultural Trail offers a great way to walk and bike through a city known for its monuments, sports and urban parks.

Writer: Melanie Radzicki McManus

Indianapolis Cultural Trail. Photo courtesy of Visit Indy.

Indianapolis Canal Walk. Photo courtesy of Visit Indy.

Indianapolis Zoo. Photo courtesy of Visit Indy.

A neatly paved path edged with feathery grasses winds through downtown Indianapolis, enticing passersby to follow the brick markers across the street and explore the next stretch of trail. The 8-mile loop makes a rough rectangle surrounding some 60-plus thriving downtown blocks, connecting five cultural districts and some of the city’s best theaters, museums and parks. Playful art installations, including a lighted, rose-scented passageway, add extra interest to trail treks. Stay at the luxe Conrad Indianapolis or The Alexander; both stand just blocks from the trail and let guests use bikes for free. (317) 631-6542; indyculturaltrail.org[1]

5 signature trail sights

1 Dine alfresco and dig into contemporary Italian dishes served tapas-style at Bluebeard in the Fletcher Place neighborhood, south of downtown.

2 Enjoy a gondola ride along the canal anchoring White River State Park. Kids along? Pop in to see the dolphins at the Indianapolis Zoo, or let the kids sit in a real stagecoach at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art.

3 A student’s sculpture on the corner of Indiana Avenue and St. Clair Street, Looking Through Windows depicts windowpanes found throughout this historical African-American enclave. See if you can find them. (Download a scavenger-hunt map at indyculturaltrail.org/herronproject.html[2].)

4 On hip Massachusetts Avenue, duck into The Best Chocolate in Town for a bag of Cultural Trail Mix, then score a cheap read at Indy Reads Books, a funky used-books store.

5 The Glick Peace Walk shines across from the impressive Scottish Rite Cathedral. With a dozen luminary gardens, it honors peacemakers, including Mark Twain and Jonas Salk. Save this stop for evening, when glass memorials are aglow.